Stranger in a Strange Land

Stranger in a Strange Land tells the story of Valentine Michael Smith, an earthling born and educated on Mars, who arrives on Earth with superhuman powers and a total ignorance of the mores of man. Smith is destined to become a freak, a media commodity, a scam artist, a searcher, and finally, a messiah.

The Cat Who Walks through Walls

When a stranger attempting to deliver a cryptic message is shot dead at his dinner table, Richard Ames is thrown headfirst into danger, intrigue, and other dimensions where Lazarus Long still thrives, where Jubal Harshaw lives surrounded by beautiful women, and where a daring plot to rescue the sentient computer called Mike can change the direction of all human history.

Methuselah's Children

After the fall of the American Ayatollahs as foretold in Stranger in a Strange Land and chronicled in Revolt in 2100, the United States of America at last fulfills the promise inherent in its first Revolution: for the first time in human history there is a nation with Liberty and Justice for All. No one may seize or harm the person or property of another, or invade his privacy, or force him to do his bidding. Americans are fiercely proud of their re-won liberties and the blood it cost them; nothing could make them forswear those truths they hold self-evident. Nothing except the promise of immortality…

Time Enough for Love: The Lives of Lazarus Long

Time Enough for Love is the capstone and crowning achievement of Heinlein's famous Future History series. Lazarus Long is so in love with life that he simply refuses to die. Born in the early 1900s, he lives through multiple centuries, his love for time ultimately causing him to become his own ancestor. Time Enough for Loveis his lovingly detailed account of his journey through a vast and magnificent timescape of centuries and worlds. Using the voice of Lazarus, Heinlein expounds his own philosophies, including his radical ideas on sexual freedom.

Starship Troopers

Join the Army and See the Universe. That is the motto of The Third Space War, also known as The First Interstellar War, but most commonly as The Bug War. In one of Robert Heinlein's most controversial best sellers, a recruit of the future goes through the toughest boot camp in the universe - and into battle with the Terrain Mobile Infantry against mankind's most alarming enemy.

Friday

Friday, a secret courier, is thrown into an assignment under the command of her employer, a man she knows only as "Boss." She operates from and over a near-future Earth in North America, a vulgar and chaotic land comprised of dozens of independent states. In America's disunion, Friday keeps her balance nimbly with quick, expeditious solutions as she conquers one calamity and scrape after another.

The Rolling Stones

One of Heinlein's best-loved works, The Rolling Stones follows the rollicking adventures of the Stone family as they tour the solar system. It doesn't seem likely for twins to have the same middle name. Even so, it's clear that Castor and Pollux Stone both have "Trouble" written in that spot on their birth certificates. Of course, anyone who's met their grandmother Hazel would know they came by it honestly.

The Door into Summer

Dan Davis, an electronics engineer, had finally made the invention of a lifetime: a household robot that could do almost anything. Wild success was within reach, but then Dan's life was ruined. In a plot to steal his business, his greedy partner and greedier fiancée tricked him into taking the "long sleep": suspended animation for 30 years.

Have Space Suit - Will Travel

First prize in the Skyway Soap slogan contest was an all-expenses-paid trip to the moon. The consolation prize was an authenticspace suit, and when scientifically minded high school senior Kip Russell wonit, he knew for certain he would use it one day to make a sojourn of his own tothe stars. But "one day" comes sooner than he thinks when he tries the suit on in his backyard - and finds himself worlds away, a prisoner aboard a space pirate's ship.

The Number of the Beast

The wickedest, most wonderful science fiction story ever created in our - or any - time. Anything can begin at a party in California - and everything does in this bold masterwork by a grand master of science fiction. When four supremely sensual and unspeakably cerebral humans - two male, two female - find themselves under attack from aliens who want their awesome quantum breakthrough, they take to the skies - and zoom into the cosmos on a rocket roller-coaster ride of adventure, danger, ecstasy, and peril.

Glory Road

. C. “Scar” Gordon was on the French Riviera recovering from a tour of combat in Southeast Asia, but he hadn’t given up his habit of scanning the personals in the newspaper. One ad in particular leapt out at him: "Are you a coward? This is not for you. We badly need a brave man. He must be 23 to 25 years old, in perfect health, at least six feet tall, weigh about 190 pounds, fluent English with some French, proficient with all weapons, some knowledge of engineering and mathematics essential...."

Citizen of the Galaxy

In a distant galaxy of colonized planets, the atrocity of slavery is alive and well. Young Thorby was just another bedraggled orphan boy sold at auction, but his new owner, Baslim, is not the disabled beggar he appears to be. Adopting Thorby as his son, Baslim fights relentlessly as an abolitionist spy. When the authorities close in on Baslim, Thorby must find his own way in a hostile galaxy. Joining with the Free Traders, a league of merchant princes, Thorby must find the courage to live by his wits and fight his way up from society's lowest rung.

We Are Legion (We Are Bob): Bobiverse, Book 1

Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So it's a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street. Bob wakes up a century later to find that corpsicles have been declared to be without rights, and he is now the property of the state. He has been uploaded into computer hardware and is slated to be the controlling AI in an interstellar probe looking for habitable planets.

American Gods [TV Tie-In]

Locked behind bars for three years, Shadow did his time, quietly waiting for the day when he could return to Eagle Point, Indiana. A man no longer scared of what tomorrow might bring, all he wanted was to be with Laura, the wife he deeply loved, and start a new life. But just days before his release, Laura and Shadow's best friend are killed in an accident. With his life in pieces and nothing to keep him tethered, Shadow accepts a job from a beguiling stranger he meets on the way home, an enigmatic man who calls himself Mr. Wednesday.

Revolt in 2100

After the fall of the American Ayatollahs (as foretold in Stranger in a Strange Land) there is a Second American Revolution; for the first time in human history there is a land with Liberty and Justice for All.

Starman Jones

Max Jones, a practical, hard-working young man, found his escape in his beloved astronomy books. When reality comes crashing in and his troubled home life forces him out on the road, Max finds himself adrift in a downtrodden land - until an unexpected, ultimate adventure carries him away as a stowaway aboard an intergalactic spaceship.

Tunnel in the Sky

When Rod Walker decides to take the final test for “Deacon” Matson’s interplanetary survival course, he knows he will be facing life-or-death situations on an unsettled planet. What he doesn’t expect is that something will go wrong with the “Tunnel in the Sky” and he and his fellow students will not be able to return to Terra. Stranded on a hostile planet, Rod and his friends are faced wit the challenge of carving a civilization out of the wilderness.

The Left Hand of Darkness

A groundbreaking work of science fiction, The Left Hand of Darkness tells the story of a lone human emissary to Winter, an alien world whose inhabitants can change their gender. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the completely dissimilar culture that he encounters. Embracing the aspects of psychology, society, and human emotion on an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness stands as a landmark achievement.

To Sail Beyond the Sunset: The Life and Loves of Maureen Johnson (Being the Memoirs of a Somewhat Irregular Lady)

Maureen Johnson, the somewhat irregular mother of Lazarus Long, wakes up in bed with a man and a cat. The cat is Pixel, well-known to fans of the New York Times best seller The Cat Who Walks through Walls. The man is a stranger to her, and besides that, he is dead.

Job: A Comedy of Justice

After firewalking in Polynesia, fundamentalist minister Alexander Hergensheimer never saw the world the same. Now called Alec Graham, he was in the middle of an affair with his stewardess, Margrethe, and natural disasters kept following them. First, there was an impossible iceberg that wrecked the ship in the tropics; then, after being rescued by a Royal Mexican plane, they were hit by a double earthquake. To Alex, the signs were clear that Armageddon and the Day of Judgment were near.

Ubik

Glen Runciter runs a lucrative business - deploying his teams of anti-psychics to corporate clients who want privacy and security from psychic spies. But when he and his top team are ambushed by a rival, he is gravely injured and placed in "half-life," a dreamlike state of suspended animation. Soon, though, the surviving members of the team begin experiencing some strange phenomena, such as Runciter's face appearing on coins and the world seeming to move backward in time.

Assignment in Eternity

Robert A. Heinlein is widely and justly regarded as the greatest practitioner of the art of science fiction who has ever lived. Here are two of his greatest short novels: Gulf, in which the greatest super-spy of them all is revealed as the leader of a league of supermen and women who can’t quite decide what to do with the rest of us. And Lost Legacy, in which it is proved that we are all members of that league - or would be, if we but had eyes to see.

Jim &#34;The Impatient&#34; says:"USING LANGUAGE UNUSUAL TO HER AGE AND SEX"

Farnham's Freehold

Hugh Farnham is a practical, self-made man, and when he sees the clouds of nuclear war gathering, he builds a bomb shelter under his house, hoping for peace and preparing for war. But when the apocalypse comes, something happens that he did not expect. A thermonuclear blast tears apart the fabric of time and hurls his shelter into a world with no sign of other human beings.

Expanded Universe, Vol. 2

Robert A. Heinlein has been hailed as one of the most forward-thinking science fiction writers of all time, and Expanded Universe (presented in two volumes) offers the perfect collection of his works to provide listeners with true insights into his uniquely creative mind.

Publisher's Summary

In what is considered one of Heinlein's most hair-raising, thought-provoking, and outrageous adventures, the master of modern science fiction tells the strange story of an even stranger world. It is 21st-century Luna, a harsh penal colony where a revolt is plotted between a bashful computer and a ragtag collection of maverick humans, a revolt that goes beautifully until the inevitable happens. But that's the problem with the inevitable: it always happens.

Winner of the 1967 Hugo award, this novel marked Heinlein's partial return to his best form. He draws many historical parallels with the War of Independence, and clearly shows his own libertarian political views.

I was initially surprised by the use of the Russian accent for the narrator but it works and works well. I'll never read the book again without hearing that accent. And his other "voices" for the main characters - especially "Mike", was right on. This was a very well done reading of a must read classic.

This is quite simply the best book Robert Heinlein wrote. While the premise is somewhat implausible (ship convicts to the Moon? More economical to ship hydroponic grain from the Moon than to grow it on Earth? - I don't think so), it serves as a platform for Heinlein to explore topics in politics and philosophy. These include: what does it mean to be human? What is the relationship between duty, responsibility and rights?

Heinlein is able to pull this off by embedding the "politics" in a real page turner about a revolt by colonists on the Moon against the tyranny of the home planet. Heinlein keeps the plot zipping along with plenty of action and "gee, whiz!" techno gizmos that are only slightly dated today (the book was first published in the mid-60's).

The characters in this book are the among the most fully realized in all of Heinlein's work. The narrator is a one-armed computer repairman, whose best friend is only sentient computer in existence, Mike. Heinlein treats Mike's alienation and attempts to become "human" with a light hand and sympathy.

The first person language used in the book contains a rich argot from the dozen or more nationalities that make up the lunar colony. This contributes greatly to make the setting believable and real.

As good as the book is, Lloyd Jones improves on it. His vocal characterizations are wonderful, and brought out elements of the character that I never noticed before, despite having read the book at least a half dozen times in the past.

I would recommend this book whether you are coming to it for the first time, or if you have read it many times before. It puts a fresh face on one of "the Grandmaster of Science Fiction's" greatest works. If you love science fiction, you owe to yourself to give this book a listen.

STORY (classic sci-fi) - This book is highly rated by lots of reviewers and won the Hugo Award in 1967 when it was written. It is well done, thought-provoking and possibly even genius, especially considering that most of what is described in the book isn't outdated today in 2014. The story is set in the year 2075 (I think). It's about human prisoners and their descendents who live in an underground penal colony on the moon. They want to be recognized as a free people and plan a revolt against earth. There are a handful of main characters, including an almost-human computer who masterminds the revolution. You will hear how they gain followers and organize themselves, negotiate with earth, fight for their freedom by catapulting rocks at earth and, finally, establish their fledgling government. The summary describes it as "hair-raising" -- I would describe it as detailed, philosophical and political, but maybe that's just me.

The problems I had with the book are twofold: First, even though the characters are likeable, I never cared about them and, thus, never cared about their revolution. Second, I just don't think I am the right type of listener for this type of book. There are lots of things that are thought-provoking, but then I would get bored with the detail and the emotionless presentation.

This is how the entire book sounds: Reader has Russian accent. Book not hard follow but written different. No pronouns and short sentences. Didn't bother much but might want hear sample.

PERFORMANCE - Narrator did a good job, given what he was reading.

OVERALL - (Actual rating 2.5) I would recommend you read lots of reviews and determine if you have the right type of mind and mood to listen to this book. I apparently didn't.

My review is similar to Audio Addict and Maken. This is an unemotional detailed lecture. By this time in his career, Heinlein has reached the comfortable spot of whatever he writes will sell. He may have run out of ideas years ago and so continues to spout the same tired themes he has written about in previous books. Even some of my favorite writers have done this in their latter years. The ability to tell a story and get your point across, seems to be lost and what we are left with are lectures. This had potential that was squandered in it's delivery.

The HugoYes, this won a Hugo, but don't let that fool you. I once tried to read all the books that had won the Hugo or the Nebula. A lot of them are not very good books. Many of them are available at audio and you can see by their ratings, I am not alone in that feeling. Sometimes a new author or a new concept hits the market with such a strong force that it will win, as what happened with Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, but in most cases the members are voting for old favorites. In many cases they may not have even read the book. It is like the Academy Awards, in which politics might be involved or someone who is loved and had a good career is awarded for his/her latest effort. That performance might not be as good as some newbie's, but the seniority actor has the advantage.

Heinlein once wrote (in _The Number of the Beast_ that Tolstoy's works gained from translation. That I cannot judge, but _The Moon is a Harsh Mistress_ which is one of my favorate books and one I reread periodically, gains from Lloyd James's translation. In particular, his voice for Mannie sounds both authentic and more multi-dimentional than the voice I imagined when reading the book. His brief chuckles punctuate Mannie's sly humor beautifully.

I know this is an audio version I will be listening to again. In fact, I imagine I will pull it out every time I go back to reread the book.

As for the book itself -- if you only read one book of Heinlein's in your lifetime -- this is the book you should read. Seriously.

I read "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" in high school,and now that I'm "reading" it again 15 years later I realize how much I missed the first time. Heinlein has written a literate sci-fi classic that delves into philosophy, Revolution and other always current topics. Narrator Lloyd James clarifies my biggest problem with the book: protagonist Manny's sometimes odd language and syntax. When Manny speaks with a Russian accent, all is clear. Recommended for lovers of sci-fi and good stories!

Fidelity is reasonably good; just a little muddy. I was surprised to find that this recording dates back to 1999.

Lloyd James is a competent enough reader, but his interpretation of the primary character (Mannie) was a bit jarring at times. I could handle the Russian accent; but he paused at times he should have kept reading and vice versa.

His Russian accent for Mannie put a new spin on the character for me; along with the French accent for Stu LaJoie. Never really heard those accents in my head while reading the novel, even though I knew that Heinlein had intended it that way.

Prof's manner of speaking was a bit too drawn out. Wyoh was fine, but I would have liked a bit more femininity in the voice. Mike's voice was done as expected.

Was surprised (and pleased) to hear the English accent for the Authority chairman; made a nice touch and really differentiated him from the other characters. James also does Oriental accents well.

Chapter divisions on my iPod were not marked according to the chapters in the book.

As this was my first Audible audiobook, I was pleased to find that there were some stops built into the book; and even more pleased that the iPod remembered where I had left off when I switched to music.

I agree with the reviewer who commented on the surprise, but workability of the narrators accents. It explains alot about the syntax Mannie uses. You'll quickly get used to it, and it goes far in letting the listener track WHO is talking.

What can I say? It's classic Heinlein at his best. The anachronisms are a bit attention getting, but not so much that it detracts from the story.

If you like Sci-Fi mixed with politics, this is a great listen. It reminded me in many ways of _Dune_, which framed political intrigue and social commentary within a sci-fi story line. Having some historical perspective on this piece makes it even more interesting. This was originally published in 1966, before the first moon landing--before I was born. The exploration of politics so left as to be right is as interesting as the subtle and comic development of an artificial intelligence from child-like naivete to nearly omniscient wisdom. The narration is very good, especially considering the abrupt changes in accent necessary to separate the characters. Highly recommended.

Though I have my issues with Heinlein’s views, I found this book to be a classic example of science fiction's potential to explore political ideas, to challenge readers' assumptions about the how world should work. While showing its age in places, this 1966 novel deals with a lot of themes that still remain as fresh as ever: machine consciousness as an unplanned phenomena, how to overthrow an unjust system, what kind of laws and rights a society should provide, family and living arrangements that fit a society's needs, and how to find the weak spots of a much more powerful but clumsier opponent. And, of course, there's Heinlein's ability to create a polyglot culture, and his signature wit, taking the form of memorable catch-phrases and quips.

The story imagines the moon as a 2075 penal colony, a dumping ground for Earth's undesirables. Inhabitants live a tough life, growing crops to export to Earth at artificially low prices, but have evolved their own informal customs for managing their affairs, including polyamorous marriage arrangements to deal with the 2-1 male-female ratio. Enter Mannie, a lowly engineer who maintains the Lunar Authority's main computer, named Mike. Somehow, Mike has achieved self-awareness without anyone but Mannie noticing. Heinlein has a lot of fun developing Mike as a character, including his naive efforts to understand humor, his existential loneliness, and his ability to adopt different personas, some of which come to influence his own behavior.

Meanwhile, discontent on Luna begins to boil, and Mannie finds himself drawn into a revolutionary independence movement. With him, naturally, comes Mike, whose ability to disguise communications and perform complex calculations give the movement chances it wouldn’t have had otherwise. But can Mike be trusted? Can a war of independence succeed against the far better-armed nations of Earth? It was fun to watch the plotting unfold.

Heinlein, of course, is a controversial author and I didn’t love everything about this novel. For one thing, I there are his attitudes towards women. While I admire that he wrote capable, independent heroines before it was in vogue, he doesn't entirely break away from traditional ideas about gender and has male characters mansplaining things to female ones.

However, my main issue with this book is that Heinlein seems so intent on demonstrating the merits of his libertarian-anarchist ideals that he does a lot to stack the deck in favor of his heroes, which I find a weakness of both the story and his argument. Between Mike's unique ability to wreak Anonymous-like mischief, engineer new weapons, and make long-term predictions, and the Professor's brilliance as a tactician and political strategist, there's never much doubt what the outcome of the revolution will be. In addition, he makes the opposing side so abusive, distant, corrupt, and incompetent that no one seriously defends its merits. Also, I found Heinlein's apparent approval of murder, as deemed necessary by the enlightened, a little repugnant. (Where, oh where have we seen problems with THAT sort of thinking before?)

Yet, in the last chapters, Heinlein seems to step back and recognize that ideals and pragmatism can reconcile only so much, when the benevolent dictatorship that ran the revolution sees that it can't hold the reigns forever. And therein lies the inherent contradiction of libertarianism: that giving people perfect freedom to choose will inevitably lead to more laws and government. This is what makes the book's signature phrase, "there ain't no such thing as a free lunch", so wonderful -- in the end, the multiple meanings becoming clear. I also enjoyed how beautifully the bittersweet conclusion to Mike's story fit in, though I won't spoil it.

In sum, definitely a book worth adding to a tour of sci-fi history. The audiobook narration is decent, but I really liked the producers' decision to give Mannie a Russian accent. It just works. Mike also has a nice "machine" personality, but not an overly mechanical one.

'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress' is as enjoyable and controversial today as when I first read the book all those years ago. The story has an interesting setting and first person perpective that I found absorbing and there are points in the narrative where I found it all but impossible to put the book down.

The story is typical Heinlein in that it combines well thought out action and controversial philosophical ideas that are just begging to be discussed and argued over.

I had some initial doubts about Lloyd James as a reader, but having listened to several of his books, I have become used to his voice and feel that he has done this book justice, adding a valuable dimension of characterisation that has helped my visualisation of the story no end.

This reading should appeal to all Heinlein fans.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Raj

UK

8/12/11

Overall

"Fantastic introduction to Heinlein"

I was given some recommendations on which Robert A. Heinlein books to start out with. Many people suggested I start with “The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress” and I was not disappointed. A fantastic listen; you are left guessing where things will go right up to the end. The narrator does an excellent job. Overall, extremely enjoyable, and highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Louise Hartgen

5/15/10

Overall

"My All Time Favorite Sci Fi Book!"

There are many kinds of books. Some are fresh and new, once read, even if enjoyed, you don't want to revisit them. Some you can re-read, maybe just once. Some books you like so much, you can read, and read, and re-read and they become as familiar as a comfy pair of slippers, but remain fresh and new for you every time.

Such a book, for me, is Robert A Heinlein's The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. This classic mixture of science fiction at its best, and political thriller, held me enthralled from the first sentence to the last.

I borrowed the book in dog-eared braille copies, and in special audio format, to revisit it from time to time, and now, thanks to Audible, I have it to keep forever. Given, by Lloyd James, one of the finest narations I have ever heard, this book is a must read for anyone who is into Science Fiction. Everyone I ever introduced to it loved it, so go on, add it to your wish list, or download it today!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

MisterG

Bradford, West Yorkshire United Kingdom

8/21/09

Overall

"The best got better"

I've always loved this book - and it's as old as I am. The first person style, written in a mishmash of languages, just works as does the telling from the perspective of someone caught up - and eventually leading - a revolution.
Then you move to the audiobook version. Instantly it comes to life. Most of it is told in a pseudoRussian accent, but quickly you find this switches with the dialogue. The pace is a little slow at times, but very soon you are into the action. And then when the final chapters kick in you are gripped to the end - even if you know what the ultimate end must be.
Heinlein at his finest? Probably

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Jason

Andover, Hampshire, United Kingdom

8/24/08

Overall

"A great book presented well"

This was a much loved book of mine already, and it was a wonderful surprise to have Lloyd James reading it - I really like his style of reading, and in particular how he gives a wonderful flavour of the type of person who is narrating it.

Top marks - thank you!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Amazon Customer

10/16/06

Overall

"Llod James cannot read!"

Terrible reader - listen to the sample before you buy it!

6 of 12 people found this review helpful

Charles

SchuttrangeLuxembourg

6/1/07

Overall

"Teach Yourself English"

Yeah, spoken text almost incomprehensible. I used to teach English as a foreign language -- I would have failed a pupil with an accent like this.

1 of 5 people found this review helpful

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